Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has banned the setting of fires to clear land for 60 days as pressure mounts on his government to tackle the blazes that have been raging across the Amazon region.
The move comes amid reports that western brands have started to suspend the purchase of Brazilian products following global outrage over Mr Bolsonaro’s response to the environmental crisis that sparked a diplomatic spat with world leaders.
The global pressure appears to have led to Thursday’s announcement of the ban. The moratorium, however, appears to be largely symbolic. Most of the blazes are already considered illegal and the decree still allows for subsistence producers to set fires for agricultural purposes.